Sindh witnesses big upsets in elections

KARACHI: Sindh witnessed many upsets in general elections 2018 as many bigwigs lost their positions and many new faces won the contest, according to unofficial results, The News learnt.

According to unconfirmed and unofficial results, major upsets were faced by Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) as it confronted with defeat in Larkana city and Lyari’s three seats of provincial assembly. From Larakana city’s PS 11 Moazzam Abbasi of GDA defeated Nida Khuhro, daughter of PPP Sindh chapter President Nisar Khuhro. She was earlier declared disqualified. Two provincial assembly seats of Lyari, Karachi were also lost by PPP candidates as Abdul Rasheed of MMA defeated PPP’s Abdul Hameed from PS 108 Lyari and Younis Soomro of Tehrik Labaik Pakistan defeated PPP’s former provincial minister Javed Nagori.

PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari lost Lyari’s National Assembly seat, NA 246. Former provincial education minister Jam Mujtaba Dahar suffered defeat by PTI’s Shaharyar from Ghotki’s PS 18, Muhammad Mian Soomro of PTI also defeated former federal minister and PPP’s main leader Aijaz Jakhrani from National Assembly seat of Jacobabad. PPP’s Malak Asad Sikandar who remained undefeated in his whole political career from 1985 was defeated by PPP’s dissident leader Dr Sikandar Shoro from district Jamshoro.

Apart from the upsets faced by the PPP, its opponent political coalition of Sindh, Grand Democratic Alliance (GDA), remained unsuccessful on majority of seats as four former chief ministers of Sindh remained unsuccessful against PPP candidates including Liaquat Jatoi who lost from Dadu’s National Assembly seat, Syed Ghous Ali Shah who lost NA seat from Khairpur, Dr Arbab Ghulam Rahim who lost all three seats -- two of provincial and one of national assembly -- from district Thar and Umerkot. Amir Bux Bhutto, son of former chief minister Mumtaz Bhutto, lost provincial assembly seat from Larkana, former Sindh home minister Zulifqar Mirza was also defeated by PPP’s Ismail Rahu on provincial seat of Badin. Dr Fahmida Mirza though defeated PPP’s candidate on National Assembly seat but remained unsuccessful on provincial assembly seat as she was defeated by PPP’s Taj Mallah, former federal minister and brother of Pir Pagara, head of GDA. Pir Saddurddin Shah was defeated on National Assembly seat by PPP candidate in district Khairpur. Central leader of PTI faced defeat on both seats -- NA 220 of district Umerkot and NA 221 of district Tharparkar.

All nationalist leaders including Syed Jalal Mehmood Shah, head of Sindh United Party (SUP) contesting from the provincial and National Assembly seats with the support of GDA and PTI from Jamshoro was defeated by PPP’s Syed Murad Ali Shah and Sikandar Rahpoto. His brother Syed Zian Shah also remained unsuccessful from both the national and provincial assembly seats of district Nawabshah. Nationalist leader and Secretary General of GDA Ayaz Latif Palijo was also defeated by PPP’s former provincial minister Jam Khan Shoro. Dr Qadir Magsi, head of Sindh Taraqi Pasand Party faced defeat from both national and provincial assembly seats of Hyderabad and Nawabshah against PPP’s candidates.

Journalist turned politician and head of Tabdeeli Pasand Party Qazi Ali remained unsuccessful from Hyderabad provincial assembly seat against PPP’s Sharjil Memon.

PML-N President Shahbaz Sharif and MQM’s Farooq Sattar were also defeated from Karachi. Mustafa Kamal of Pak Sarzameen Party (PSP) and Anis Qaimkhani emerged on the political scenario of metropolitan with high claims of even making of upcoming Sindh government lost all seats of national and provincial assemblies.